Is Remote Working Right for You and Your Business?

Between collaboration software, remote access solutions, faster broadband speeds, and voice and video calling from the desktop, technology has finally matured to the point where working from home is becoming routine for many employees (Read Top 10 Tools for Remote Workers). In fact, a 2010 Microsoft U.S. Remote Working Research study found that 72 percent of those surveyed would prefer to regularly work from home. Among the most cited reasons for punching the clock from a distance? Some 60 percent of people telecommute to maintain a work/home balance, and 55 percent see working from home as a way to save gas.

Most interestingly, some 71 percent say they are more productive when working remotely. But just because innovation has made commuting to a physical office unnecessary for many, that doesn’t mean all businesses embrace the idea of empty cubicle farms. That same Microsoft study revealed that, according to employees, less than 40 percent of employers are generally supportive of remote working arrangements.

So which businesses should let their workers telecommute, and what strategies should they follow so that both employees and employers reap the benefits?